To achieve the Goals by 2030,. PRME is calling on all busi- ness and management-re- lated higher education institutions
The Sustainable Development Goals A Guide for Business & Management Education
The Sustainable Development Goals are humanity’s guiding star. Responsible management education will navigate us there. In September 2015, all 193 Member States of the United Nations adopted a plan for achieving a better future for all — laying out a path over the next 15 years to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and protect our planet. At the heart of “Agenda 2030” are the SDGs which clearly define the world we want — applying to all nations and institutions, and leaving no one behind. Business and management schools have a unique opportunity to advance the SDGs and help create a more sustainable future for all. They can influence students with responsible business practices, while driving research on the business case for sustainability and leadership.
Realising the Sustainable Development Goals through responsible management education is the vision of PRME. This is at the core of everything we do, and we believe it is the most important work of our lifetime.
The 6 Principles of PRME offer a framework for transforming business and management education. The SDGs are an opportunity to go beyond. Academic institutions that transform their teaching, research, and thought leadership to serve societal needs, while developing the responsible leaders of tomorrow, will become the pioneers in the growing field of responsible management education.
Time is of the essence. To achieve the Goals by 2030, PRME is calling on all business and management-related higher education institutions to fully embrace the SDGs in teaching, research, and thought leadership. This booklet is intended to be a helpful tool looking at how some schools are linking the SDGs to their reporting on the 6 Principles.
17 Global Goals to transform our world... ...Endless opportunity for business and management education to lead.
Principle 1: Purpose We will develop the capabilities of students to be future generators of sustainable value for business and society at large and to work for an inclusive and sustainable global economy. Commit to produce sustainability champions “Our Strategic Theme aims to develop graduates who will be able to comprehend the holistic influence of businesses in society and local communities and are inclined to create and engage in such business solutions which contribute towards social good in a sustainable way. We want our students to realize that there are critical challenges faced by local communities which are important to be addressed while developing their business and management skills.” LM Thapar School of Management, India
Principle 2: Values We will incorporate into our academic activities, curricula and organisational practices the values of global social responsibility as portrayed in international initiatives such as the United Nations Global Compact. Align your institution's values with the SDGs
For examples of what business and management schools are doing to support the SDGs, visit our acclaimed blog, primetime.unprme.org
“Guiding our strategy for sustainable business education are the Sustainable Development Goals. We carry out these goals through our course curriculum, course projects and academic and student activities; events, conferences and competitions; international activities; research; and partnerships and dialogue with other organizations, universities, government and industry.” University of San Diego, USA
Principle 3: Method
Principle 5: Partnership
We will create educational frameworks, materials, processes and environments that enable effective learning experiences for responsible leadership.
We will interact with managers of business corporations to extend our knowledge of their challenges in meeting social and environmental responsibilities and to explore jointly effective approahces to meeting these challenges.
Make the business case for the SDGs in curricular and extra-curricular activities “NBS has chosen to adopt the SDGs as part of the formal curriculum for all courses. The advantages of using the goals as a framework for sustainability rather than just focusing on the concept itself has proven to be an effective way to engage the unengaged and bring the whole School together under a common theme” Nottingham Business School, UK
Principle 4: Research We will engage in conceptual and empirical research that advances our understanding about the role, dynamics, and impact of corporations in the creation of sustainable social, environmental and economic value. Showcase faculty and student research links to SDG topics in your SIP reporting “Since its inauguration in 1986, RSM has produced many PhD dissertations covering all fields of management. These dissertations are often focused on societal challenges and contain innovative and relevant knowledge for responsible management and sustainability. Our SIP Report shows dissertations from 2015 and 2016 that address these themes, labelling them according to the relevant SDGs.” Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Netherlands
Work with other stakeholders to advance the SDGs at the local and national level “Global Compact Local Network Egypt signed an MOU with the AUC’s Gerhart Center to commence their joint activities. Through the joint partnership, both parties will work on advancing the SDGs, build capacity and raise awareness on the importance of corporate social responsibility through dialogue, trainings and research.” American University in Cairo, Egypt
Principle 6: Dialogue We will facilitate and support dialogue and debate among educators, students, business, government, consumers, media, civil society organisations and other interested groups and stakeholders on critical issues related to global social responsibility and sustainability. Reach out and share knowledge with others “In 2015, the institution promoted an internal campaign to raise stakeholders’ awareness of the importance of adopting the principles. In addition, the institution developed a student workshop on the SDGs, which will be part of ISAE’s educational model Perspectivaction in 2016.” ISAE/FGV, Brazil
PRME is the largest organised relationship between the United Nations and business & management-related higher education institutions, working to raise the profile of sustainability in schools around the world and to equip today’s business students with the ability to deliver change tomorrow. Learn more at www.unprme.org
PRME Secretariat United Nations Global Compact 685 3rd Avenue, 12th Floor New York, NY 10017
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